Welcome to the Potomac Yard Development Portal

3/27/15: The
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a new Potomac Yard Metrorail
Station is now available for public review and comment, marking a major
milestone in the City of Alexandria’s vital transit and economic development
initiative.

The City's project partners, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the National Park
Service (NPS) have approved the Draft EIS
for public review. Following a public comment period and series of community
meetings from April 3, 2015, through May 18, 2015, City Council will formally
consider the new station and its preferred location. A City Council decision will permit the
preparation of a Final EIS for approval by the FTA and NPS, after which the
design and construction of the station can begin.

The
City has scheduled many opportunities for stakeholders to learn more about the
Draft EIS and the benefits, history, purpose, and financial feasibility of the
new station. The City will hold three
Community Open Houses (each focusing on a specific area of interest), five
applicable board and commission meetings, and a formal public hearing. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Authority (WMATA), the agency that will operate the new station, will also hold
a public hearing.

The Potomac Yard Metrorail Station Draft Environmental Impact Statement can be viewed here.

The
upcoming subject-specific Community Open Houses are as follows:

Land Use &
Hazardous Materials

Community
Open House #1
Tuesday, March 31, 2015, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
City Hall, Council Workroom, 301 King St., 2nd Floor

(Followed by the Potomac Yard Metrorail
Work Group (PYMIG) meeting from
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in the adjacent City Council Chamber)

Comments may be submitted at any time to comments@potomacyardmetro.com. Comments
submitted between April 3, 2015, and May 18, 2015, will be responded to in the
Final EIS. Comments may also be mailed to Potomac Yard Metrorail Station EIS,
P.O. Box 16531, Alexandria, VA 22302.

A public hearing as part of the EIS process will be held before the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board:

What's New?

City of Alexandria Awarded $50 Million Loan Towards Construction of a
New Potomac Yard Metrorail Station
The Commonwealth Transportation Board has awarded the City a $50
million loan from the Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Bank (VTIB) to
construct a Metrorail station in Potomac Yards.
The new station will be funded through a variety of sources -- including
new tax revenue from development around the station and two new special tax
districts. This means that most
residents and businesses in Alexandria will not have to contribute to the
station’s construction through local taxes.
Because the new tax revenue will be received over time and the station
must be paid for when it is built, the City plans to issue General Obligation
Bonds to finance construction. Today’s
VTIB loan, which is close to the maximum available from the state fund, will lower
the amount the City must borrow from other sources. The 30-year loan locks in an interest rate of
2.17%, which is substantially lower than municipal bonds. The loan also requires no interest or
principal payments for four and one-half years after contract completion. This
grace period is important to allow early development around the Metro station
to begin to create new revenue prior to the City’s first repayments. The City’s loan application included an offer
to accelerate repayment if revenue exceeds expectations. Members of the Board took particular note of
this innovative provision, which would allow the money lent to the City to be
returned to the VTIB’s revolving fund 11 to 12 years earlier than originally
planned.

Physical and Digital Models

A physical model has been prepared showing the relationship of each alternative (plus Design Option B-CSX) to its surroundings. The model is on view in the Planning & Zoning office on the second floor of City Hall, 301 King Street.

A digital model has been prepared showing how each of the Build Alternatives as well as Design Option B-CSX might look to drivers traveling on the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP).

New Construction

Trail
construction along Potomac Yard Park is underway between Main Line Boulevard
and Braddock Road, and is scheduled to be completed
in the winter of 2014/2015.

Construction of the Route 1 BRT median lanes between Potomac Avenue to East Glebe Road was completed in Summer 2014. Phase I of the new Metroway BRT service between the Braddock Road and Crystal City Metrorail stations began on August 24, 2014.

A new plan for the redevelopment of the Potomac Yard Retail Shopping Center was adopted by City Council in 2010. The new retail center will contain 7.5 million square feet of office, retail, and residential development, as well as open space. Some existing store tenants, such as Target, are expected to remain and be relocated to new stores during various stages of construction. Learn more about the design for the retail shopping center and view images of the vision for the adopted plans.

An infill Metrorail station is being planned for the Potomac Yard development along the yellow and blue lines. The project is currently undergoing the environmental review process and location identification, with three locations under consideration. A working group has been established to coordinate with City staff on the project. Learn more about the process and view images of the documents provided to date.

The redevelopment of Potomac Yard will create a need for public amenities and services. Two potential school sites are preliminarily designated; a new fire station is constructed and operating; and a series of regional and local parks are planned. Learn more about public amenities and view a map of potential locations.